Laura Lost and Found
by Muffinzelda
Summary: When Hobson goes missing, Innocent tries to keep the retired Inspector Lewis from meddling in the investigation. But Lewis- with Hathaway's support, of course- refuses to give up.
1. Beginning at the end

Disclaimer- This story is for fan purposes only. The characters are used without the permission of their respective owners; neither Colin Dexter nor the show writers would ever write anything as dreadfully soapy as this one!

Chapter 1 – Beginning at the end

Laura Hobson fluttered her eyelids and had trouble focusing on the woman seated near her, knitting. She tried to crane her neck and groaned. The woman put down her knitting and got very close. "Are you back with us, Laura?" Laura blinked a few times and tried to swallow.

"Squeeze my hand if you understand, Laura." The woman took Laura's hand and Laura tried to grip it in return. She tensed her hand but wasn't able to feel her fingers. Laura was frightened by that realization, yet the woman seemed relieved. "Thank God; you gave us quite a scare. Do you remember what happened?"

"Where am I?" Laura managed.

"In hospital. The doctors and nurses are taking excellent care of you." And at that moment, said medical professionals responded to the call button the woman had pushed as Laura awoke. The woman stepped aside and several others surrounded her, poking and prodding. It was all a haze for Laura; she was just aware enough to answer the basics: she knew her name, what year it was… but she couldn't remember much else- like why she was there. She became even more confused when someone shone a light in her eyes and apologised to her by saying _just a few more tests and then you can be back with your daughter…_

Laura, growing frustrated with her foggy mental state and achy body, tried to ask, _what daughter? Do I have a daughter?_ But she wasn't able to get the words out. The nurses stepped back and the woman who'd held her hand returned. "It's OK, Laura." She calmed down at the woman's soothing presence. "They just assume I'm your daughter since dad's been with you from the beginning. Do you remember me?"

Laura looked intently at the woman: mid 30's, familiar blue eyes, but she was not able to make the connection.

"I'm Lyn, Robbie's girl. We've met a few times…"

Laura closed her eyes and almost smiled, "Robbie…" she whispered.

"He loves you very much and he'll be here soon." Lyn raised Laura's hand and gave her a little kiss. "From Robbie."

"Thank you, Lyn." Laura drifted back to sleep. Lyn texted James Hathaway with a message for her dad. _Tell dad he has to shower and shave before you'll let him leave!_

Hathaway brought Robbie Lewis back to the hospital as soon as the latter had complied with Lyn's demands. When Lewis arrived, he was struck by how much Lyn resembled her mum as she got older. It looked like Val herself was watching over Laura. He was overcome with emotion and suddenly leaned on Hathaway for support. "Are you all right, Robbie?"

"She looks like her mum, James." Hathaway nodded, for he understood Lewis' ghosts.

Lyn looked up, "don't just stand there Dad, Laura's waiting for you!"

Lewis gazed adoringly at his daughter, "right, pet. Thank you… for watching over her." He went to Laura's side and fought the urge to embrace her with his entire being. He instead gently stroked her forehead with the back of his fingers. "I'm here, love." She opened her eyes and smiled in relief.

Lyn turned to Hathaway to let her dad and Laura have some privacy in their tender reunion. "Thanks, James. The old man looks much better. Amazing what some sleep can do." She looked over at her dad and realized that he was getting choked up. "I hope I didn't speak too soon."

Lewis babbled, "I was so afraid I'd lose you…"

Lyn put her arms around her dad's shoulders. "Don't upset her, dad. Everything's going to be OK. Just focus on that."

Seeing Lyn peering at her over Robbie's shoulders comforted Laura too. But she ached all over and didn't understand why. She whispered, "What happened, Robbie?"

"We'll have to piece that together, love. I know the police end of things, but you're going to have to fill in some of the blanks for us. Lyn's right, though. We'll talk about it when you're feeling stronger. For now, you just need to rest. I love you." He didn't want her to remember her ordeal just yet.


	2. 72 hours earlier

Chapter 2- 72 hours earlier

Chief Superintendent Jean Innocent knew that it was going to be a long night. First, there was a suspicious death that she'd delegated to DI Ramsey. She was hoping that she could go back to bed and be briefed in the morning, but Ramsey called her to say that the pathologist had never arrived. She checked her records: Dr Hobson had confirmed that she was en route over an hour ago. As Hobson was no longer answering her mobile, Innocent ordered a roadside search of the route between the crime scene and Hobson's home in addition to dispatching a new pathologist to the site. Innocent decided not to call Hobson's beloved Inspector Lewis before investigating further; she didn't want to worry him needlessly if she could avoid it. She whispered goodnight to a snoring Mr Innocent and made her way to the station.

Innocent was not the least bit surprised to find a wild-eyed Robbie Lewis waiting for her when she arrived. The retired Inspector no longer had an office at the Oxfordshire Police station, but the desk sergeant respected Lewis enough to show him to Innocent's own office. "Ma'am! It's Laura. I think she's in trouble. She called from the road on the way to a call out. Someone had blocked the road. She'd thought the driver had hit a deer. She said she'd gotten out to talk to the driver and then called me straight away because she thought that something wasn't right. Then she made a noise and we were cut off."

"What sort of noise?"

"Not a scream exactly, but maybe a reaction to… to being hit by something or someone. You've got to trace her mobile! Tell me where the call out was. I've got to find her!"

"Just try to remain calm. I already sent a car along her route when she didn't arrive at the crime scene. I'll get the trace on her mobile right away." As she picked up the phone receiver, a constable entered and beckoned for Innocent's attention. She excused herself, and then returned a minute later to find Lewis pacing back and forth. "Sit down, Robbie."

"Just tell me!" He said, banging his fist on the desk.

Innocent sighed. "We found her car and her mobile was about 100 yards away. All of her belongings are still in the car. But there is no sign of Laura. We're doing everything we can to find her. I've just assigned Alan Peterson to the case."

"Anyone but Action Man, ma'am! He'll get her killed!"

"DI Peterson gets results, Lewis. You should thank me for assigning such a pro-active detective. Now, sit down, and I need you to go over this phone call with me again. Tell me exactly what she said and what you heard.

* * *

Meanwhile, Laura woke up on the cold floor of a stone structure. She could see by the dim light of a lantern that a man was unfurling a bale of hay. Laura tried to clear her throat, but it came out as a humming sound; her mouth had been covered with duct tape as her hands and feet were similarly bound. Her captor knew she was awake now. She blinked at him, too terrified to make a noise as he went to lift her onto the pile of hay.

"I've been watching you for months, Dr Hobson, waiting for the right moment. I didn't realize it would be this cold. Hopefully you won't freeze to death before the police find you. I don't really want another life to be lost; I just want justice." He ripped the duct tape off her face, leaving a dreadful red mark where the adhesive had been. "Who are you?" She whispered. She was in too much pain and confusion from the concussion she'd received from being struck over the head with torchlight to come up with anything else- or to say it louder. He replied as he bound her mouth again, this time with a cloth gag.

"You don't remember? I'll never forget the day I had to identify my daughter in your mortuary. Are you so jaded by dead people that you don't remember the living? There." He finished tying the knot around her head. "You should still be able to drink through that." He proceeded to fill a trough with water. "That ought to last you a few days- though it might freeze first. Hope you ate well before you got here. I'd forgotten you were such a skinny little thing."

* * *

Back at the station, Jean Innocent felt that Robbie Lewis had overstayed his usefulness. Of course, the former police inspector refused to leave. She tried to have uniform drive him home, but he fought her at every turn. Innocent finally had someone in Human Resources look up the phone number of another former employee. She crossed her fingers as she made the call.

"Ma'am?" Came a timid and surprised voice. Innocent was somehow relieved that James Hathaway had apparently kept her number saved in his home phone.

"Hathaway- James, if I may- I need your help." She explained the situation. "Robbie needs a handler. I don't want to call his daughter yet, though. You're a mental health counsellor now, right?" Hathaway indicated affirmatively. "Good. I'll tell your employer that you're working on a special head-case for the police."

* * *

Just as Hathaway was arriving to collect Lewis, another man also showed up at the police station. He calmly introduced himself to the desk sergeant.

"My name is Miles Whitacre. I've kidnapped a certain pathologist."

Hathaway leapt in as the desk sergeant called for assistance. "Where is she?" He demanded.

"I'm not going to tell you just yet." The man said gravely.


	3. Who is Miles Whitacre?

Chapter 3: Who is Miles Whitacre?

Robbie Lewis was now firmly planted in Chief Superintendent Innocent's office alongside James Hathaway awaiting news from the interview room. Hathaway was doing his best to keep Lewis calm while Innocent supervised Peterson's interview with Miles Whitacre.

"I don't understand why she won't let me watch from the other side of the glass."

"She doesn't want you to be unduly upset."

"A bit late for that, isn't it?" Robbie said angrily.

"Look, I know that you don't trust Peterson, but you can trust Innocent to handle this the right way."

Robbie did not respond.

"Let's get something to eat in the canteen, then come back to see if there is any news."

"I'm not leaving, James. Innocent has to come back here eventually. She can't just brush me aside. Not now. Not after all the years I worked for her. She owes me answers! I need to know what's going on down there." He thought back to the loyalty that Strange and Morse felt for one another and doubted that he and Innocent were anywhere near that close.

"Innocent will do everything she can to save Laura, and that's what's important. You need to get some sleep, Robbie." Lewis glared at Hathaway. "And failing that, black coffee. I'll pop down to the canteen and bring you back some coffee. Maybe some eggs too?" Lewis didn't seem to want the food but waved Hathaway away. When he returned, Hathaway was astonished to see that Lewis had fallen asleep sitting up on Innocent's couch. He took that as a comforting sign. He raised a finger to his lips when Innocent re-entered her office over an hour later.

"Oh for God's sake!" She exclaimed as she saw the sleeping Lewis. He jolted awake.

"Ma'am?"

"Miles Whitacre, 62, widowed, recently retired from an agricultural supply company. His wife died of cancer about ten years ago. Shortly before his retirement, his daughter killed herself while under the influence of drugs. Hobson ruled a suicide, but the father feels that whoever supplied her the drugs must be guilty of murder. He is demanding justice for his daughter in exchange for Hobson. It's tragic really. Hobson had no choice but to rule a suicide; the girl put a gun to her own head. I'm sorry. That's all I can tell you for now, but rest assured that we have forensics all over his home looking for any trace of Hobson or clues to her whereabouts."

Lewis couldn't leave it be. "What's Peterson doing? Has he looked at the girl's case file?"

"Inspector Peterson has made it clear to Whitacre that we do not negotiate with terrorists- and I quite agree. Our priority is finding Hobson- not participating in this man's vendetta. Peterson is looking into any and all connections Whitacre has in the community. There's a cousin in London, but no other family to speak of. You need to trust us, Robbie. Go home and rest. You have my word that as soon as we find something, you will be the first to know."

"Let me talk to him, ma'am. It sounds like we have a good deal in common, this Whitacre bloke and I. I can reason with him, get him to tell us what he's done with Laura."

"No, Robbie; I can't let you jeopardize the investigation."

"What do you think I'm going to do? If I didn't rip Simon Monkford apart limb by limb, I think you can trust me to keep a level head with this one. Laura is still alive, and I have to find her."

"Conflict of interest, Robbie."

"Motivation, ma'am."

"My answer is still no. James, get him sorted." Innocent strode out of her office.

Lewis paced back and forth. "Bloody hell, James. This Whitacre bloke could be me: widowed, just retired, what if our Lyn… no. I can't think like that. But it's not the first time I've asked meself that question, eh? Parenting a precocious teenage girl is not for the faint at heart."

"Miles Whitacre is sick, Robbie. You wouldn't go taking hostages no matter what tragedy were to affect your family life."

But Lewis wasn't listening. He continued to ramble. "Poor Marilyn Garrett would be in her thirties now if she'd lived… crikey, maybe even her forties."

"Was Marilyn a friend of Lyn's?"

"No. Morse' niece. She died of a drug overdose when she was still in school. Morse brought down the rave organisers and the drug company that had supplied them. Even during our darkest cases, Morse would know what to do; at least he always did after a pint or two. He'd not be benched by the likes of Innocent. I used to think that Morse lived in the past, and here I can't help but tell meself that that was way back when Val was alive and Laura was a free spirit I admired. That must be how you see me- an old man stuck in the past."

Hathaway smiled a bit, for he _had_ accused Lewis of being a fossil once or twice. "No, Robbie, not since you let Laura into your life. We're going to find her."

Hathaway spent a moment in silent prayer that what he said was true. Then he spoke up. "Robbie, I have a plan. We've got to assume that Peterson is doing whatever he can out there, waving his gun around. We're going to convince Innocent to share the Whitacre girl's case file. But you've got to appeal to her sense of professionalism… or aesthetics, if nothing else. In order to do that, you've got to get cleaned up. Home. Shower, shave, and put on a suit and tie. Innocent won't take you seriously when you look like you're certifiable."

* * *

Two hours later, Lewis was standing anew in Innocent's office, flanked by Hathaway. He was freshly washed and shaved. He'd splashed on some cologne before dressing in a black suit with a cornflower-blue tie that Laura had given him. She'd said it brought out the colour in his eyes. He was a force to be reckoned with in such a striking outfit.

"Is there any news, ma'am?" Lewis asked as he approached her desk.

Innocent smiled. She was impressed with his calm demeanour and fresh look. "Nothing to get your hopes up, but I can give you the latest update. It seems that Whitacre was renting a room from one of Laura's neighbours in order to stalk her, but there is no hint of where he may have taken her, neither in that room nor at his home. The well of his personal contacts has run dry, so Peterson and the team are looking into all the farms that he serviced as an agricultural supply representative."

That sounded right to Hathaway. He remembered as a child at Crevecoeur all the wonderful hiding places there were on a working farm. _Bittersweet memories_… he cleared his throat.

Lewis took that as a prompt to put their plan into action. "Ma'am, if you won't let me interview Whitacre myself, at least let Hathaway and I peruse the case file for Whitacre's daughter. You have my word that it won't leave this office and we won't take any action without your consent."

Innocent stared at him sceptically, turned to stare at Hathaway, and then resumed staring at Lewis. _What is she looking for with that critical eye of hers?_ Hathaway wondered.

Hathaway spoke next. "Ma'am, are you or are you not compensating my employer for the time that I am spending here as a consultant?"

"I am."

"Then you might as well take advantage of my clever Cambridge brain. And the old man's not half-bad either."

He calculated that Innocent and Lewis would share a moment together rolling their eyes at their Boy Wonder. Sure enough, Innocent relented and asked PC Lockhart to fetch the case file. Soon after, she received a phone call.

"Damn it. I'll be right there." She said into the phone. With no explanation to Lewis and Hathaway, she stalked out of the room. She seemed annoyed rather than concerned, so Lewis and Hathaway both assumed the call had nothing to do with Hobson's disappearance.

Lewis and Hathaway went through the box of meagre evidence as well as the case file several times. _Innocent was right,_ Hathaway thought. _It seems to be a cut and dry suicide. _ But he kept that to himself because he was just glad that Lewis was engaged in something other than pacing the room.

Just when Hathaway thought that they had exhausted the well of ideas, Lewis said to him, "I've been avoiding this, but it's time to get on the line to the pathology department to see what they can do about tracing the batch of drugs that were in the girl's system."

"Why avoid it, Robbie? Sounds like a fine idea to me."

Lewis sat down at Innocent's desk and picked up her phone. "Because if this were any other case, I'd be ringing Laura herself." Instead, Lewis now braced himself to hear the brogue of old Aberdeen Angus on the other end of the line.

At first, Dr. Angus Rawbone didn't think he could trace the drug found in Melanie Whitacre's system to a particular source at this point in time, but Lewis refused to take no for an answer. He requested other files for comparison from PC Lockhart and rang Rawbone again. (PC Julie Lockhart had other assignments that day, but she had a soft spot for Lewis and Hathaway and was just so chuffed to see them working together again that she couldn't say no!)

Lewis' head was buzzing with caffeine and ideas as they finally started to make some progress. A second PC entered the office with tea and a biscuit for the Chief Super.

The PC looked shocked to see Lewis at Innocent's desk, using her phone and computer as though he had completely commandeered her office. "Innocent stepped out." Lewis explained. "But you can leave that here." Lewis was devouring the Chief Super's tea as Jean Innocent herself returned to her office.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Lewis?"

Just then, the phone on Innocent's desk rang, and Lewis answered it. "What news, Angus?" Whispering to Innocent he said, "have a seat ma'am. This could be important."

Innocent looked helplessly at Hathaway, who shrugged. She took a seat in front of her own desk and watched Lewis at work behind it. Hathaway himself began to wonder why Lewis hadn't gone for another promotion. Lewis seemed perfectly at ease bossing around their former boss.

"Are you sure? … That'll help our case; thank you, Angus. Can you fax me the report of the comparison samples right away? … Innocent's office. … That's right. Cheers, mate." He hung up.

"Ma'am! I'm glad you're back. I figured it out. You've got to let me speak to Whitacre."

Innocent was not amused by Lewis' show behind her desk. "Explain yourself, Lewis."

Lewis made his case to the Chief Super, who was suitably persuaded that Lewis' new tactic had some merit but was still hesitant to let him interrogate Whitacre himself.

Robbie Lewis resorted to making his forlorn puppy-dog eyes at Innocent and paused to let that take effect. He then picked up the wedding photo on Innocent's desk- a candid shot of the newlyweds laughing together. "This really is a lovely snap of you and Mr. Innocent. Going the distance, eh?" Again, he attempted to disarm the Chief Super with his wide, hopeful eyes.

Innocent had no choice but to give in. She made a mental note that if they found Hobson alive, she would need to ask the pathologist what strategies she had in her employ for resisting those charming eyes of Robbie Lewis.


	4. The road that leads to Laura

Lewis, Hathaway, and Innocent watched Miles Whitacre through the one-way mirror while he was supervised by PC Lockhart. Lewis was champing at the bit wanting to go in, but Innocent suggested that they make Whitacre wait a bit longer. "No, ma'am. I'm done waiting. Every second more is time that we're wasting when we should be finding Laura." With that, Lewis entered the interview room. Hathaway followed him in while Innocent remained behind to watch. Lockhart stepped out to allow the detectives to do their jobs.

"Mr. Whitacre. I'm DI Lewis, and this is DS Hathaway. We've been reviewing your daughter's case."

"Finally." Whitacre remarked.

"Our condolences," countered Hathaway courteously.

"Melanie was coming off a crystal meth binge when she ended her life." Lewis began. "Withdrawal does horrible things to a person. She was looking for a way to break the cycle so that she didn't go back to the meth. I'm sorry it happened that way."

"Spare me your sympathy. I know what happened. I want to know what you're going to do about it."

"What I already did about it, you mean." Lewis showed him the report from Angus Rawbone. "The crystal meth that we found traces of in Melanie's system came from a batch cooked up in a meth lab in Split, Croatia. Sergeant Hathaway here went to Croatia himself to oversee the bust."

"I did," Hathaway confirmed. _Among other reasons_, thought Hathaway, remembering the holiday-that-wasn't.

Lewis continued. "And I personally arrested the man responsible for smuggling the crystal meth to Oxford in coffins- one Brian Miller- as well as the lynchpin who organised the operation and made all the profits. That was Peter Faulkner; we nailed him for murder as well." Lewis showed Whitacre the arrest files of both men. He neglected to mention that the bent ex-copper Nick Cornish was still at large.

Tears of release fell from Whitacre's eyes as he fingered the case files, taking it all in.

"Now." Lewis bent in very close to Miles Whitacre. "Where is Laura Hobson?"

It took Whitacre several moments to pull himself together before he spoke. "I'll take you there. You'll never find her otherwise."

Lewis exited the interview room and announced to the Chief Super, "we need a car ASAP."

Innocent countered, "hold your horses, Lewis. Neither you nor Hathaway is on the insurance anymore."

"I'll drive," said the ever-eager PC Lockhart definitively.

* * *

Lockhart was driving a squad car with Lewis in the passenger seat as well as a hand-cuffed Whitacre and Hathaway in the back. Whitacre led them to a recently defunct farm in Oxfordshire.

Between giving directions, Whitacre tried to redeem himself. But the detectives were having none of it. Any compassion that Lewis may have shown back at the police station was waning with every inch closer they came to Laura. "You lot think I'm a horrible person. But you have no idea what it's like to lose someone like that. Grief makes you do wretched things."

Lewis announced to him without turning around, "I lost my first wife in a hit-and-run accident. Don't tell me about grief."

Whitacre answered, "first wife? So one assumes that you married again."

Lewis riposted, "No, but I might; if she's still alive when we find her. I didn't exact revenge on the driver of the car that killed Mrs. Lewis. But if Laura Hobson doesn't survive this ordeal, you may not be so lucky." As much rancour as Lewis felt for Simon Monkford for killing his wife- the mother of his children- he knew that her death hadn't been intentional. Miles Whitacre, on the other hand, had calculated this very carefully.

They approached the farm and Hathaway noted that it was on the list of places that Peterson had been. "Sure, your lot searched the farm, but did they know about the abandoned farmhouse deep beyond the overgrowth? No one has lived there for twenty years, not even when the farm was still a going concern. Lack of plumbing and all," Whitacre explained.

Following Whitacre's indications, the car soon left the gravel path. Lockhart drove to the edge of the thicket where Lewis and Hathaway alighted. They made their way through the thicket, thorns and brambles tugging at their coats and trousers. There was scarcely a clearing; the vines continued from the shrubbery right up the walls of the farmhouse. Feeling along the outer wall, Lewis found an entry. Whitacre had told them where the key was hidden, but Lewis found it easier to force the door. Most of the wood was rotted away and the door caved easily.

Lewis and Hathaway entered the stone farmhouse calling Laura's name, but there was no response. They shone their torches high and low. "Robbie!" Hathaway cried when he saw a pair of trainers poking through some hay where Laura had tried to nestle herself for warmth.

Lewis ran to Laura and searched for signs of life. Hypothermia had set in, but he managed to find a weak pulse. "She's alive!" Lewis yelled to Hathaway, who was already on the phone to emergency personnel.

Lewis pulled out his pocket knife and cut off her gag. As he removed the gag, he realized that Laura's hair was matted with blood. He swept her airway with his fingers. She had vomited with the gag on; it was a miracle she didn't choke. The water trough near her was layered with a thin sheet of ice. He wanted to clean her up, but knew that the ice water was the last thing she needed. Her clothes were already damp from the dewiness of the air. Lewis noticed the mildew growing on the stone walls and made a decision. He threw his coat over Laura and scooped her up as he yelled to Hathaway, "let's go!"

Hathaway cautioned, "are you sure we should move her? Maybe we should wait for-"

"Clear me a path!" Lewis was already at the door with Laura's limp form cradled in his arms.

And so the detectives began to retrace their steps with Hathaway holding back branches for Lewis and the bundled Laura. When they reached the car, Lewis yelled to PC Lockhart, "Get Whitacre out of there! Now! And crank up the heat."

As Lockhart and Whitacre exited the squad car, Lewis laid Hobson on the back seat. He gave his pocket knife to Hathaway. "Cut her out of her clothes and wrap her in me coat." Lewis proceeded to shed his own clothes, hastily undoing his tie and shirt buttons. "Hurry it up, man!" He called to Hathaway, who turned around to see Lewis with his torso completely exposed to the frigid night air. Hathaway exited the backseat to make way for Lewis. Lewis got in the car and wrapped his whole self around Laura, slipping his arms around her back under the coat which Hathaway had put on her. Hathaway shut the door to keep the heat in and provide a little privacy.

With one hand, Lewis held her head against his neck, while the other hand held her body firmly against his. She was so cold, but Lewis could feel her heart beating weakly against his own rapid one and the faintest breath falling near his ear. Lewis realized as he warmed Laura in a flesh-to-flesh embrace that all the nights they had spent in the quiet intensity of their love-making came down to this moment in the back of a squad car. "Hang in there, Laura," he whispered.

It seemed like an eternity to Lewis, but an ambulance arrived minutes later. Lewis didn't realize how frightful Laura looked until he saw her underneath the lights of the ambulance. Her skin was puffy and her face was pocked with sores from where the duct tape had been ripped away and the unsanitary state of the gag that replaced it. He looked on as they wrapped her in heating blankets and began to give her intravenous fluids. PC Lockhart handed Lewis his jacket, shirt and tie, which she had carefully collected when he'd discarded them to the ground. "Best wishes, sir," she said, as he climbed in the ambulance. She stifled a blush as he thanked her, still shirtless. Hathaway remained behind with Lockhart to watch over Whitacre until Peterson and his team arrived at the scene.

Peterson and his fleet arrived minutes later and alighted en masse from their vehicles, dressed as if they were ready for military combat. "You're a little late," said Hathaway, as he nonchalantly flicked his cigarette to the ground.


	5. Robbie Unraveling

Hathaway found Lewis in the waiting room of the emergency department of the John Radcliffe. He wasn't holding up very well. "How is she, Robbie?"

"Still unresponsive when we got here, but her core temperature was rising slightly." His voice faltered. "They took her away, James. Said they were going to clean her up, but that was over an hour ago."

Hathaway nodded. "I'm sure we'll have news soon." Sure enough, a doctor approached them and Lewis leapt from his seat. He immediately recoiled in pain as he was seized by a back spasm. Hathaway steadied Lewis and shook his head. "At least you're in the right place, Robbie."

"It's nothing; I'm fine!" Lewis snarled, clutching his back. "Is Laura all right?"

The doctor explained that they were gradually warming Hobson, but that it would take some time before she was in a room where Lewis could see her. "There may be some nerve damage in her fingers and toes, but she is responding to stimuli. Her blood pressure, which was dangerously low when you brought her in, is returning to normal- a very good sign. She hasn't fully regained consciousness yet, but we're hopeful that she only sustained a minor concussion from the blow to the head. Now as for you and that back of yours…" The doctor prescribed muscle relaxants for Lewis and told him it would be best to go home and rest; they'd call with an update on Hobson. Lewis responded with nothing more than a dirty look.

Hathaway knew it was a losing battle to convince Lewis to go home, but he tried anyway. Lewis looked absolutely haunted as he whispered, "I didn't get to say good-bye to my wife, James. If Laura takes a turn for the worse, I'll be beside her."

"That's not going to happen, Robbie." Hathaway was concerned that Lewis' mind went to such macabre places when the doctor seemed optimistic. Hathaway left Lewis with a tall coffee and then went to the chemist to fill Lewis' prescription. Hathaway made a phone call while he was away. He was going to need reinforcements.

* * *

When Lyn arrived at Laura's room at the Radcliffe several hours later, she found Hathaway sitting in a chair, but her father was nowhere to be seen.

"So you managed to convince him to go home after all, James?" She said by way of greeting. Hathaway didn't answer; he didn't need to because a surprised voice came up from the floor.

"Lyn? What the devil are you doing here?" asked Robbie Lewis from the floor, where he was resting his back with his knees elevated.

She kneeled down to her father on the floor. "Oh dad. Why didn't you call me in the first place?"

"Didn't want to worry you, pet. Help your old man up." Lyn helped him to a chair and she began to knead his shoulders.

"They can't at least get you a camp bed?"

"They don't want to encourage him to stay," said Hathaway.

"So, how is Laura now?" Lyn asked.

Lewis gave her the abbreviated version. "The doctor said that she was conscious earlier, but that she was disoriented. I didn't get to speak to her meself."

Lyn, a nurse herself, went to look at Laura's chart. "Dad, according to this, she's had a rough go of it, but her blood pressure is back up and she's stable. I think she looks worse than she really is inside. They've given her a sedative to help her rest. She'll probably be out for another few hours. You should take advantage of that time to help get some sleep yourself. Come on, I'm taking you home. James will stay here and call as soon as there's any change."

"No, pet. I can't leave her. There… are things I've never told you… about the cases we've worked on."

"Only _**some**_ things? Dad, you never tell me _**anything**_ about the cases you work on. You're like a hermetically sealed vault. I'm sure that none of it matters now. Right now you need to rest so that you can support Laura later when she's awake."

"Listen, pet. A few years ago, Laura ran into trouble on one of our cases. She was nearly buried alive by the time we figured it out and made it to the scene. I could have saved her, but I didn't. I couldn't save your mum, and it would have been the ultimate betrayal if I'd rescued Laura and held her in a way I wasn't able to hold your mum. I know that's rubbish now, but it's how I felt. I told James to save her, and thank God he did. I ran away like a coward."

Hathaway disagreed with Lewis' version of that Halloween long ago. "You're being too hard on yourself, Robbie. You gave chase to Laura's assailants and brought them to justice."

Lewis scowled. "The lad died, James, and the girl didn't fare much better, hospitalized for the remainder of her days. I'm forever grateful to you for comforting Laura and keeping her safe that night, but this time, I won't shirk my responsibility to her."

Lyn wondered, as she often did, what other atrocities her dad hid from her over the years. She spoke with great care. "Mum know how much you loved her and that's all that matters. And as for Laura, you did save her this time, dad, and you've thrown your back out in so doing. So here's what we're going to do: let James take you home. Get a few hours' sleep, and take care of your back. I'll stay here, and if Laura wakes up while you're gone, she'll see my big blue eyes and know that you're here too. I promise to call as soon as there's any change. No arguments, dad. If you fight me on this, I'll have James take you by force, and you're in no condition to struggle."

Lewis rose, clutching his back. He hobbled towards the sleeping Laura and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm coming back, Laura. I promise." He turned to Lyn and nodded.


	6. Epilogue

A few days later, Robbie Lewis' own back was healing right nicely but he was discovering just how true the aphorism was that doctors make the worst patients. As Laura continued to recuperate at home, she bristled at Lewis' attempts to get her to stay in bed. She threw off the covers time after time only to be tucked in again. _I know I should be grateful to be in my own bed again, but…_ She wanted her silken pyjamas; he insisted she wear flannel. Lewis was still treating her like an egg in an incubator though Laura had overcome the deathly chill that nearly took her from him.

Lyn had returned to Manchester but left them a crockpot full of soup ample enough to feed them for days. Laura had a hard time managing with the spoon as she had not yet recovered the manual dexterity to which she was accustomed so Lewis insisted on feeding her. Laura shook her head. "No more soup. Grill me a steak Robbie; we could sit on the porch swing while it cooks."

"It's too cold out, pet. James offered to make a grocery run though; I'll ask him to pick up a steak too." He paused, "I didn't think you particularly cared for steak though. I'll check your vitamins to be sure you're getting enough iron."

"I don't have an iron deficiency! I just want to cut into something with a knife! And I want to go outside!" Her lips began to quiver. "I want to go back to work, Robbie. What if I can't use a scalpel anymore?"

Lewis put down the bowl of soup on to the tray table he had propped next to the bed. He held her close. "You're making a lot of progress, but you have to give it time, love. Now I want no more talk about work." He was thinking of the icy slabs she examined her subjects on- not to mention call-outs to crime scenes in all kinds of inclement weather. "Laura, would it be so horrible if you were to take an early retirement and stay home with me?"

"If you're planning on holding me prisoner in bed for the rest of my life, then yes!" Lewis looked crestfallen. Laura hadn't meant to hurt him.

"Oh Robbie, don't look at me like that. I love you with all my heart, even when you smother me. I do look forward to retiring with you, but I want us to go places. We should travel, and spend time with your kids and grandson. One day, when I'm done with my scalpel I might even trade it in for knitting needles- if our Lyn has the patience to teach me."

"I think she'd love that, pet." He beamed at Laura's adoption of his familiar phrase- our Lyn. He sighed contentedly and relented to her wishes. "Maybe this afternoon- if you bundle up- and if we keep moving- but not too fast- we could take a walk this afternoon."

"That sounds wonderful, Robbie." She pulled him into a kiss. "And I promise to dress warmly, but as you have ably proved, you are the only heat source I need."

Laura didn't remember that night in the back of the squad car, but Hathaway had filled her in on any details omitted by the modest Lewis. ("And then this manky sod tore his clothes off like he thought he was the Incredible Hulk or something." Oh how Hathaway had enjoyed recounting the events so as to maximize embarrassment to his former boss…)

Lewis too though back to that night, but instead of shivering, grinned. "Do we have time to snuggle before we take our walk?" He asked earnestly.

"I think so," she purred. "Can I lose the flannel?"

"Mmm hmm." He slipped out of his trousers- gracefully and not at all Hulk-like, Laura observed- and began to unbutton his shirt as well as he joined her under the covers.

As they shifted around and melded into a comfortable position for snuggling together, they both reflected on their couplehood in light of the recent events. Laura was reminded how lucky she was to have some someone completely devoted to her- for the first time in her life. For his part, Lewis remembered that he loved Laura because she was so dynamic; she made him feel alive and certainly more adventurous than he'd ever been. Both resolved not to stifle what they cherished most in the other. And neither one minded spending a few more minutes in bed before their next adventure.

* * *

Hathaway was pleasantly surprised to find Laura up and dressed when he came by later that night with provisions. He decided she could handle some light humor as she (begrudgingly) asked Lewis to cut her supper for her. "You know, you've got this all backwards. You are supposed to be the one taking care of him in his old age," he said, nodding to Lewis.

"Cheeky git." Lewis responded, as he handed Hathaway a beer.

Laura jumped in too. "No, James, we've got it right. I'm supposed to keep Robbie's life interesting. He is supposed to keep me grounded. And we're going to spend the rest of our lives keeping each other in balance." She exchanged a meaningful look with Lewis.

"Did I miss something?" Hathaway asked.

Lewis put down the cutlery and took Laura's hand. "Laura's agreed to let me put a ring on this finger here."

"If my fingers aren't functional they might as well be decorative." Laura quipped.

"Hush, love, there's no reason they can't be both. Give it time."

Hathaway grinned. "Are you sure you've thought this through? I mean, you scarcely know each other..." he said, facetiously referring to their 20 year friendship. He raised his beer. "Cheers to good friends and good news. May you have a long and healthy life together."

* * *

Author note: And so a story that began at the end now ends with a new beginning... Thanks for reading and the kind reviews! (PS I'd somehow cut off the last bit of chapter 5, but it's fixed now!)


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